Former Cincinnati Reds outfielder is reportedly transitioning to college sports, but not for baseball. Thompson, 26, is enrolling at the University of South Alabama, where he will join the Jaguars football team as a walk-on, according to Creg Stephenson
Though Thompson has not officially announced his retirement from baseball, he teased a new direction by sharing a video on social media of himself throwing a football inside the South Alabama facility, with the caption, “we back y’all!”
“It’s been a few years, but as I’ve been throwing it, I’m trying to get that feel back,” Thompson said to WKRG. “But I won’t know until you’ve got 6-5 guys running at you, and I’m running around the field. But I’m excited to see what I can do.”
A Mobile native, Thompson was a high school all-state quarterback and played alongside future South Alabama receiver Jalen Tolbert, who is now with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Thompson had offers to play football at Ole Miss and Tennessee, but initially committed to play baseball at the University of Alabama before deciding to sign with the Texas Rangers as a first-round pick in 2017 for over $2 million.
Thompson’s baseball career never took off. He hit just .232 over the past three years and struck out in 32% of his 259 MLB plate appearances. After being acquired by the Reds off waivers in October 2023, Thompson played 17 games with Cincinnati last season, starting five, and managed two hits in 18 at-bats. He also recorded just four hits in 25 at-bats for Triple-A Louisville. The Reds removed him from their 40-man roster in May.
“It’s been a blessing, just having an opportunity the last seven years to play at a high level and meet a lot of great people,” Thompson shared with WKRG. “And sometimes the road changes, and we try to do something great.”
Having played in 109 MLB games and 486 minor league games, Thompson still has five years of eligibility for college football, as he never attended college. He shared that pursuing football has always been on his mind, and as one door closed in baseball, a new opportunity opened up.
“When one door slowly closes, a great opportunity opened up for me,” he said.
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